What

Final ODI of the five-match series between New Zealand and India

When

Friday, January 31, 2014, (14:00 local | 01:00 GMT | 06:30 IST)

Where

Westpac Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand

The Teams

India

The series has been lost but the importance of a win in the fifth ODI is immense for India. MS Dhoni’s young team has been winless in their overseas season so far, which must be eating away at their morale. A win under their belt before going into the Test series is immensely important.

It’s about time the opening batsmen and fast bowlers, in particular, stood up and be counted. The length and line need to improve – be a lot fuller and straighter – for the bowlers and batsmen must put a high price on their wickets.

Dhoni made a few changes in the fourth ODI, dropping Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan for Ambati Rayudu and Stuart Binny. The Indian captain might reconsider his ploy of sending Virat Kohli to open the innings as it seemed to have disturbed the rhythm of his most in-form batsman – Virat scored 2 off 10. Also, if Binny is retained in the XI, he should be given more than a solitary over to bowl.

New Zealand

Brendon McCullum described the series win as “incredibly satisfying” and urged his boys to enjoy the achievement of defeating the world champions. A 4-0 result will be the perfect icing on the cake, and also a huge morale booster ahead of the Tests.

New Zealand left their ace all-rounder, Corey Anderson out in the last game for Jimmy Neesham. Given his superlative performance in the series so far and the fact that he is included in the Test squad, Anderson might take field in the fifth ODI.

Key Players

India

Virat Kohli’s form was disturbed in the Hamilton game when he was asked to open the innings. It will be crucial for him and India that he regains his mojo, batting at his own position.

New Zealand

Brendon McCullum’s return to form couldn’t have come at a better time for New Zealand. After two successive ducks, the Kiwi skipper is back to his swashbuckling ways as suggested by his whirlwind knock in the last ODI (49* off 36 balls; four 4s and three 6s). He has given India one more thing to worry about.

Statistics

Matches at Wellington (Westpac)

Result summary:

Pace vs Spin

(last 5 matches)

Average first innings score*

* excluding incomplete innings

Trivia

Kane Williamson has scored a fifty in all the four matches of the series so far. Another fifty and Williamson will become only the second batsman in ODIs to score a fifty in all the five matches of a bilateral series after Pakistan’s Yasir Hameed who did so against New Zealand in 2003-04.

In the 16 matches India have played after the series against Zimbabwe, the average total conceded by them is 300.

The Squads

India: M.S. Dhoni (Capt/wk), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Amit Mishra, Ishwar Pandey, Stuart Binny, Varun Aaron.

New Zealand: Brendon McCullum (capt/wk), Corey Anderson, Martin Guptill, Mitchell McClenaghan, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Hamish Bennett, James Neesham, Luke Ronchi, Jesse Ryder, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson.